Rolex models down under
For more than 40 years, Rolex has had an infallible relationship with tennis, dating back to when the Swiss watch manufacturers became Wimbledon’s Official Timekeeper. Rolex is the partner of The Championships at Wimbledon, but also of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year – the Australian Open.
The tournament, which finished on Sunday, saw its fair share of Rolex-wearing stars grace the courts at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne but it was Seiko-wearing Novak Djokovic who beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his 18th Grand Slam.
Rolex is the sponsor of all four Grand Slams but it also has many competing players acting as its ambassadors. Here we check out which models they wear.
The disappointed Spanish-Venezuelan pro failed to convert two match points against Naomi Osaka in a fourth-round defeat at the Aussie Open last week, despite having made the finals last year.
Muguruza was a fan of Rolex way before her tennis career started but her favourite is a 36mm Datejust that she bought to celebrate beating her childhood idol, Serena Williams for the first time.
In 18kt white gold, the watch has a Jubilee bracelet and matching diamond-set dial. And just to make sure she remembers the year, she even had the timepiece engraved with the year when her rise to fame began – 2014 – and her name, as a lasting memory.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – Rolex Milgauss
Quite how is anyone’s guess, but Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has yet to win a Grand Slam, despite reaching the quarter-final stage of all four Grand Slam events. He even has a career-high ATP singles ranking of number 5 in the world. But yet again, a persistent back injury kept him out of the battles in Melbourne.
Tsonga has been spotted wearing a stainless steel and ceramic Daytona but the watch he wore when he celebrated winning the Canadian Open was a Milgauss 116400GV complete with a coloured crystal over the dial. Here at Luxe Watches, we love the bright orange seconds hand in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Roger Federer – Oyster Perpetual Datejust II
He didn’t enter the Open this year due to ongoing fitness and knee troubles but Federer is synonymous with the game – a household name in tennis. He boasts 20 Grand Slam titles and has spent a staggering 310 weeks at the top spot of the ATP rankings – quite a feat.
Naturally, netting a cool $100 million a year, he can wear any Rolex he chooses but he has been spotted in most models from a Daytona 6263 through to a GMT-Master II BLNR.
But a firm favourite in his locker is the watch he wore when he broke Pete Sampras’ record when he secured an 8th Wimbledon title, securing his spot in the history books.
It was the Rolex Datejust II, reference 116334. The classy stainless steel model with silver dial and blue numerals is understated. Scratch-resistant Sapphire and high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers make it the perfect choice for the champion. It’s not the most expensive in his collection but it certainly holds fond memories for him.
Dominic Thiem – Rolex Daytona
Dismantled by Grigor Dimitrov, the third seed was taken down in a three-set thriller in this year’s Aussie Open, having finished runner-up last year. Thiem did win his first Grand Slam at the US Open, making him the first Austrian to win a singles title at the tournament.
As we’d expect, Dominic has been spotted wearing a range of Rolex including a stunning Yacht-Master 42 in white gold. He wore this when he collected the trophy for his first Grand Slam.
But his favourite timepiece is a classic, stainless steel Rolex Daytona, reference 116500LN, with a black dial and matching bezel. And the sold-out sporty model is in demand as it’s very hard to get your hands on one.
Stéfanos Tsitsipás – Rolex Daytona
At just 22, he’s the youngest player to be ranked in the ATP and is already no 5 in the world, with five singles titles under his belt. But he lost in the semi-finals of the Aussie Open to Daniil Medvedev.
A big fan of the sporty Rolex models, he’s been spotted wearing a few including a stainless steel Submariner and a Daytona off court. But his favourite appears to be one he’s been photographed in during press conferences – the Rolex Daytona, reference 116519LN, with an Oysterflex bracelet. In 18kt white gold, it’s incredibly smart whilst being sporty with its black ceramic bezel, making it a great day to evening watch.
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If you’d love to find an ace Rolex for your collection, contact us at Luxe Watches, as our sales team would love to help.